Income-generating projects needed: West Darfur camp resident

The residents of the Abu Suruj camp for the displaced, north of El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, for whom the distribution of food rations stopped nearly two years ago, have to cut the number of daily meals because of the price hikes of foodstuffs and consumer goods. A resident of the Abu Suruj camp, Halima Ishag Abdallah, reported to Radio Dabanga that the “mad price rises and the lack of work have made our lives hell. We do not have even enough money to buy basic food”. She noted that the failure of the agricultural season and attacks by the “government-backed herdsmen” have increased the hardship. Abdallah explained that the price of a “bowl” (900gr) of okra rose from SDG 25 to SDG35 (6$), of a “bowl” of sorghum from SDG4 to SDG7 ($1,23), a jerry can of cooking oil from SDG160 to SDG230 ($40), and a “bowl” of garlic from SDG30 to SDG65 ($11.40). She appealed through Radio Dabanga to the authorities and humanitarian organisations to intervene and resolve the economic problems facing the displaced, stressing the need to develop up income-generating projects. The camp resident criticised state officials for not visiting the camps and identify the problems. She also urged the state government to monitor the markets and “put an end to the greed of the merchants”. File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid Related:Sudan’s inflation rate reached 42.6% in November (23 December 2013)’Economic disaster for Sudan if South Sudan conflict continues’: expert (22 December 2013)Fuel exploitation, price hikes making life ‘unbearable’ in Darfur: Sheikh (8 October 2013)